Adjustable massage rollers in a massage machine



B. J. Russo 3,289,673

ADJUSTABLE MASSAGE ROLLERS IN A MASSAGE MACHINE Dec. 6, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. l2, 1965 mm. Wm,

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Ben/Um/'n J. Russo BY j ATTORNEY B. J. Russo 3,289,673

ADJUSTABLE MASSAGE ROLLERS IN A MASSAGE MACHINE Dec. 6, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 12, 1963 l /A AM, mD @E @ff mi 0 m. .QQ

INVENTOR Ben/0mm Russo ATTORNEY E. J. Russ@ 3,289,673

ADJUSTABLE MASSAGE ROLLERS IN A MASSAGE MACHINE Dec. 6, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. l2, 1963 w .bm

Benjam/7 .l @N550 ATTORNEY Dec. 6, 1966 B J. Russo 3,289,673

ADJUSTABLE MASSAGE ROLLERS IN A MASSAGE MACHINE Filed Nov. 12, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v m in Q m @n f\ 0 INVENTOR Benjamn J Russ@ ATTORNEY United States Patent Otiice 3,289,673 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 3,289,673 ADJUSTABLE MASSAGE ROLLISRS IN A MASSAGE MACHINE Benjamin I. Russo, Norristown, Pa. (RG. Box 62, Rte. 113, Creamery, Pa.) Filed Nov. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 322,810 19 Claims. (Cl. 12d-57) This invention relates to an improvement on applicant prior Patent No. 2,889,826 of June 9, 1959 for a Massage Machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rnessage roller assembly `for such massage machine whereby the -massage rollers may be readily adjusted to lit the contour of a pers-ons back so as to better exercise the back muscles and stimulate the blood circulation.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable massage rol-ler assembly which can -be adjusted for spot massage, whether a small spot, by a single massage roller, `or a larger spot, by using two or more adjacent rollers, or two or more different spots, of any size, by using spaced apart individual or spaced apart groups of single or adjacent massage rollers.

With the above and related objects in View, this invention consists in the details of construction and com-bination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when `read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevational view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the massage machine to which this invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a -front elevational view of the massage actuating mechanism of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the adjustable rubber massage rollers.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of one massage roller.

FIG. 5 is a sectional View on line 5-5 of FIG 8, showing one of the massage roller latching elements.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front elevational view of the massage roller assembly.

FIG. 7 is a top elevational view of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but with the individua-l massage rollers adjusted to the contour of a human back.

FIG. 9 is a Itop elevational view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective reversed View of one end o-f the slidable latching bar.

There is shown at 1t) the massage roller assembly of this invention. For purposes of illustration, the massage roller assembly 10 is illustrated as being used on the massage machine of applicants aforementioned Patent No. 2,889,826, but of course this invention may be used on any suitable massage machine intended for the same general purpose. The plurality of spaced apart upright arms 12 which support the massage roller assembly 10, there being one assembly 1U* on each of the plurality of arms 12, correspond to the plurality of spaced upright arms `53 of the prior patent mentioned, and the remaining details of the massage machine illustrated are identical in construction and operation with the corresponding details and construction shown in this prior patent, `massage roller assembly 10 of this invention taking the place of the axles 66 and 7G and the massage rubber r-ollers 68 and 72 therein described.

In brief, the pairs of arms 12 are supported on the wheels 14 and follow the paths shown by the arrows 16 on the tracks 18, such action lbeing caused by the electric motor 20, belt 22 and pulley 24 mounted on the mechanism generally shown at 26 and adjustably supported by the mechanism support fork 28 on the stand 30 over the massage table 32. The mechanism 26 also includes a wheel 34 on straight track 36 supporting upright mounting arms 38 on which are ixedly secured transverse support arms 40. The arms 41B are actuated by the offset end 42 of 4a rotatable driver rod 4M and this motion is, in turn, transmitted to the pairs of upright arms 12 by the ends 46 of the rods 48 moving `in vertical slots 50 in the arms 12. The construction and operation of the details just described, except for the massage roller assembly 10 in place of the massage rollers shown in the prior patent mentioned, being identical with that of such patent; the details Kof construction and operation disclosed in such patent are incorporated herein Iby references, and hence not further repeated herein.

The massage roller assembly 11i comprises a plurality of individual rub'ber massage rollers `52, each roller 52 being journaled on yan individual horizontal axle 54 of an individual fork 74, so that the position of the individual fork 74 will, of course, determine the position of the particular massage roller 52 journaled on its axle 54.

Each fork is individually adjustably supported by means shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 5 to 9 inclusive. Such means include one transversely extending bar 76 rigidly secured to the three arms 12 on one side of the forks 7d, a second transverse bar 114 rigidly mounted on the opposite side of the three upright arms 12, yand bar 78 therebelow slidably mounted through yokes 80 secured on the arms 12. Pins 82 extend through the top and bottom of the yoke 8i) at least at one end into slots 841 of limited length in the top rand bottom of the slidable bar 78, limiting the sliding movement of the bar 78 in one direction, and a stop finger 86 secured by stud screws S8 to the end of bar 78 beyond its yoke 8@ limits its sliding movement in the opposite direction..

The opposite end of bar 73 is bifurcated at 90 and has a pawl 92 pivoted between the bifurcation and biased downwardly by a spring 94 biased against a handle button 96 which urges said pawl into latching position with the inner side of th-t adjacent yoke 80, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. When the pawl 92 is pivoted to unlatching position, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, com-pressing biasing spring 94, another spring 9S, biased between projections 101B on the bar 78 and the adjacent side of both the adjacent support arms 12 and the yoke 80, biases the bar 78 in one direction to the limit permitted by the stop linger 86 at the other end, the sliding movement of the bar 78 in the other direction being limited by the slots 84 cooperating with pins 82 when the pawl 92 is in latched position.

The inner side of the `slidable bar 78, that :faces against the spaced apart forks 74, is provided `with spaced apart vertically extending ri-bs 102, `corresponding in number With the forks 74. The ribs 102 define channels 104 therebetween. The rigid bar 76 is also provided with correspondingly spaced ribs 106 defining channel 10S therebetween. Each fork 74 has vertically extending ribs 110 and 112 on the two opposite sides facing the rigid transverse bar 76 on one side and the slidable transverse bar 78 and rigid transverse bar 114 on the other side, the fork ribs 111i facing the rigid bar 76 being complementary to the channels 108.

Above the slidably mounted bar 78, the transverse bar 11d is rigidly secured to the arms 12 by stud screws 116. This second rigid bar 114 is provided with vertical ribs 118 defining channels 120 complementary to the fork ribs 112. As far .as the fork ribs 111i and 112 and the complementary channels 120 in bar 114i and channels 108 in rigid -bar 78 is concerned, the forks 74 therebetween may be moved freely in either vertical direction. Such vertical direction is limited and further guided by a rod 122 secured to the arms 12 and extending through vertical slots 124 in each fork 74, with an individual coil spring 126 biased between the bottom of the rigid rod 122 and the bottom wall 128 of each fork slot 124, thus urging each fork downwardly.

Each vertical rib 102 on the slidable bar 78 is serrated into transverse flutes 130, and the facing fork rib 110 is likewise serrated into complementary transverse flutes 132. When the pawl 92 is in the unlatched position shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the complementary flutes 130 on slidable bar 78 are in engagement with the complementary utes 132 on the fork ribs 111D, thus holding the forks against vertical movement. When the pawl 92 is in the latched position shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the flutes 131i on the ribs 102 of slidable bar 7S have been moved out of engagement with the complementary llutes 132 on the fork ribs 110 and extend into the space between the fork ribs 110, and the forks 74 may move vertically, 4being biased downwardly by the springs 126. When a person is lying on the massage table 32 with the roller assembly adjusted by the stand 30 into contact with his back 134, the massage rollers 52 carried by the forks 74 will be individually biased downwardly by springs 132 into contour contact with his back 134 as shown in FIG. 8. Obviously, both sets of roller assemblies 10 shown in FIG. 1 will be successively thus adjusted into contour contact, and provide for contour massage of his entire back 134.

Should selected spot message be desired, then as many selected masasge rollers may be held in lifted position out of back massaging position by lifting the selected individual forks until an aperture 136 in the fork'rib 110 is engaged by a retractable plunger 138 urged therein by a spring 1411, the top of the rib 110 being curved at 142. The plunger 138 is `biased by the spring 140 located in a cylinder 144 threaded into the fork rib 1111 and biased between a pin 146 transversely through the plunger 138 and a plunger handle 148.

1n operation, the person having his back 134 inassaged lies on the table, 32, and the stand 3@ is adjusted to bring one of the roller assemblies 10 into contact with his back 134. The assembly 10 in contact is then brought into contour contact by an operator person pushing inwardly the slidable bar handle button 96, thus sliding bar 78 to the limit permitted by slots 84 and pins 82 while pawl 92 is biased to the latching position shown in FIG. S and FIG. 9 by spring 94. If spot massage is desired instead of complete contour massage, then as many selected massage rollers 52 may be disengaged as desired, by pushing the selected massage rollers 52 upwardly, against the bias of their springs 128, until the curved top 142 of the fork rib 110 rides upwardly against the end of the plunger 138 which is biased into aperture 136 by its spring 140 when in aligned position, thus holding the selected rollers 52 in disengaged position.

The pawl 92 is then unlatched, permitting the bar 73 to be slid by its bias spring 98 until stop linger Sil abuts its adjacent support arm 12. As it moves to this position, the slidable bar rib flutes 130 move into position complementary to the fork rib flutes 132, which may yield slightly up or down as necessary for engagement purposes, and the roller assembly is thus locked in the contour position. Then the other roller assembly is brought into back contacting position, and suitably adjusted in a similar manner. Thereafter, the motor is actuated to provide the desired massage operation, as fully set forth in the aforementioned patent.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a massage machine, a plurality of vertically depending spaced apart support arms, a massage roller assembly mounted on the lower ends of said support arms, said massage roller assembly comprising a plurality of individual massage rollers, an individual vertical fork and horizontal axle thereon for each said massage roller, fork supporting means extending transversely between and supported on said spaced apart support arms, and means for vertically adjustably securing each said fork to said transverse fork supporting means, said adjustable fork securing means including a pair of parallel, horizontal, spaced apart bars extending between said spaced apart support arms, said forks being located between said parallel bars.

2. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 1, and means for guiding and limiting the vertical movement of each said fork relative to said securing means.

3. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 2, said guiding and limiting means -comprising a transversely extending rod lixedly secured to and between said support arms, each said fork having a vertically extending slot extending transversely thereof between its top and bottom ends, said rod extending through said fork slots to thereby guide and limit the vertical movement of said forks.

4. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 3, and individual yieldable means in each fork slot biased between the bottom side of said rod extending transversely therethrough and the bottom wall of said fork slot biasing each said fork in a downward direction.

5. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 4, and separate individual means for holding each individual fork in a raised position against downward biasing means.

6. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 1, vertically extending ribs on the opposite vertical sides of said forks adjacent said bars, a plurality of transversely spaced vertically extending ribs on the sides of said bars adjacent said forks therebetween, said bar ribs defining channels therebetween at least complementary to said fork ribs, said bar ribs being at least complementary to the space between said inlividual fork ribs, one of said bars being lixedly secured to said support arms, the other of said bars being slidably secured to said support arms, complementary transverse llutes and slots on said slidable bar ribs and on the adjacent fork ribs, and means for sliding said bar between a flute and slot complementary position latching said forks in vertically adjusted position and a rib and channel complementary position releasing said forks for individual adjustable positioning.

7. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 6, and means biasing said slidable bar to fork releasing position, and means for releasably latching said slidable bar in fork latching position.

8. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 6, and stop means limiting the movement of said slidable latch bar to either a fork latching or fork releasing position.

9. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 6, and means for guiding and limiting the vertical movement of each said fork relative to said securing means.

10. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 9, said guiding and limiting means comprising a transversely extending rod lixedly secured to and between said support arms, each said fork having a vertically extending transversely thereof between its top and bottom ends, said rod extending through said fork slots to thereby guide and limit the vertical movement of said forks.

11. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 1d, and individual yieldable means in each fork slot biased between the bottom side of said rod extending transversely therethrough and the bottom wall of said fork slot biasing each said fork in a downward direction.

12. The massage rollerassembly as set forth in claim 11, and separate individual means for holding each individual fork in a raised position against downward biasing means.

13. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 12, means biasing said slidable bar to fork releasing position, means for releasably latching said slidable bar in fork latching position and stop means limiting the movement of said slidable latch bar to either a fork latching or fork releasing position.

14. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 1, said spaced apart bars being rigidly secured to opposite sides of said spaced apart support arms, said forks being located side by side in upstanding relationship between said parallel rigidly secured horizontal bars, vertically extending ribs on the opposite Vertical faces of said fork adjacent to said bars, a plurality of transversely spaced vertically extending ribs defining vertical channels therebetween on the side of each rigid bar adjacent said fork ribs, said bar channels being complementary to said fork ribs, a third bar, yoke means for slidably mounting said third bar in horizontal position, adjacent the ribs on one side of said forks, on one side of said spaced apart support arms parallel to said rigid bars, stop means limiting the sliding movement of said slidable third bar, a plurality of ribs, corresponding in number to said forks, on the face of said slidable third bar adjacent said fork ribs, said slidable bar ribs defining channels therebetween at least as wide as said adjacent fork ribs, Complementary transverse flutes and slots on said adjacent fork ribs and said slidable bar ribs, and means for sliding said bar between a flute and slot complementary position latching said forks against vertical movement and a non-complementary position releasing said forks for individual verti cal adjustment in the channels of said pair of rigid bars.

15. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 14, means biasing said slidable bar to the flute and slot complementary position, and latch means securing said slidable bar in said flute and slot non-complementary position.

16. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 15, and means for guiding and limiting the vertical movement of each said fork relative to said securing means.

17. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 16, said guiding and limiting means comprising a transversely extending rod iixedly secured to and between said support arms, each said fork having a vertically extending slot extending transversely thereof between its top and bottom ends, said rod extending through said fork slots to thereby guide and limit the vertical movement of said forks.

18. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 17, and individual yieldable means in each fork slot biased between the bottom side of said rod extending transversely therethrough and the bottom wall of said fork slot biasing each said fork in a downward direction.

19. The massage roller assembly as set forth in claim 18, and separate individual means for holding each individual fork in a raised position against downward biasing means.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 670,688 3/1901 Riviere 128-57 857,761 6/ 1907 Schmidt. 1,638,025 8/1927 Everts 12S-33 2,889,826 6/1959 Russo 128-57 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

L. W. TRAPP, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A MASSAGE MACHINE, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY DEPENDING SPACED APART SUPPORT ARMS, A MASSAGE ROLLER ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID SUPPORT ARMS, SAID MASSAGE ROLLER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL MASSAGE ROLLERS, AN INDIVIDUAL VERTICAL FORK AND HORIZONTAL AXLE THEREON FOR EACH SAID MASSAGE ROLLER, FORK SUPPORTING MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN AND SUPPORTED ON SAID SPACED APART SUPPORT ARMS, AND MEANS FOR VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY SECURING EACH SAID FORK 